Puzzle guides: learn to solve every kind

Last updated October 1, 2026

Each guide below teaches one kind of puzzle from the beginning, with a worked example and large, clear step diagrams. They are written in plain language for readers who are new to a puzzle or coming back to it after a long time. Every guide links to the free puzzle of the day, so you can try what you have just read.

How to solve Sudoku

The rules, how to scan a grid, the two simple moves that finish every Easy and Medium puzzle, and what to do when you are stuck. It also introduces the 6 by 6 size, Wordoku, Calcudoku and Colorku.

How to solve crossword puzzles

How clues work, from simple definitions to fill-in-the-blanks, plurals, tenses and abbreviations, and how to use crossing letters to finish a grid.

How to solve a cryptogram

A saying worked from start to finish, plus the letter patterns that help most: one-letter words, apostrophes, double letters and common endings.

Word search tips

How to search for first letters, begin with rare letters, and know which of the eight directions each level uses, with tips for large print and tired eyes.

Play, print or share

The free puzzles of the day are at Sudoku, Crossword, Word Search and Cryptogram, and each kind has its own page: large print Sudoku, large print Crossword, large print Word Search and large print Cryptogram.

Prefer paper? See all our free large print printables.

If you help someone else enjoy puzzles, our caregiver activity pages and our page for senior centers and activity directors may help too. To find out how we make and check our puzzles, read how we make our puzzles.